ASIAN_LC 290-0

Introductory Topics in Asian Languages and Cultures

1 Unit · Undergraduate

Content and prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit with change of topic.

2027 Winter

Topics

1. Identify and describe major themes in Tibetan literary expression 2. Recognize distinctive features of Tibetan literary genres and storytelling conventions 3. Understand basic concepts of Tibetan Buddhism as they appear in literary contexts 4. Contextualize Tibetan literature within its historical and cultural settings 5. Analyze the role of translation in shaping readers' access to Tibetan literature

- Heruka, Tsangnyon, Life of Milarepa. PENGUIN. ISBN 13: 9780143106227 - Chogyel, Tenzin. Life of the Buddha. PENGUIN. ISBN 13: 9780143107200 - Schaeffer, Kurtis R. Himalayan Hermitess: Life of a Tibetan Buddhist Nun. OXFORD UNI PRESS. ISBN 13: 9780195152999
Class Materials (Required)

2026 Fall

- Students will identify and analyze foundational texts from Confucianism, Daoism, Chan/Zen Buddhism, and Tibetan Buddhism, situating them within historical contexts and evaluating their cultural significance across East Asia. - Students will examine key philosophical themes, including morality, human flourishing, and suffering, interpreting how these traditions address ethical dilemmas and the pursuit of contentment in human life. - Students will develop skills in close textual analysis, critically engaging primary sources in translation while articulating informed interpretations of religious and philosophical arguments in written and oral formats. - Students will evaluate how classical East Asian texts have been adapted, interpreted, and transformed in modern contexts, assessing their continued relevance in contemporary cultural and intellectual discourses. - Students will compare and contrast major East Asian traditions, synthesizing historical, philosophical, and cultural perspectives to construct coherent arguments about their similarities, differences, and global significance.

- Confucius / D.C. Lau (transl). Confucius: The Analects. Penguin Classics (1979) - ISBN 978-0140443486 - Lao Tzu / D.C. Lau (transl). Tao Te Ching. Penguin Classics; Reprint edition (1964) - ISBN 978-0140441314 - Tsangnyon Heruka / A. Quintman (transl). The Life of Milarepa. Penguin Classics; 1 edition (2010) - ISBN 978-0143106227 - Red Pine. The Platform Sutra: The Zen Teaching of Hui-neng (Paperback - November 28, 2008). Counterpoint, 2008. ISBN 978-1593761776
Class Materials (Required)

Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline SoC Humanities and Fine Arts Distro

Sources